A Thousand Pawprints
by Stormwillow1
Summary: Every cat in NightClan has hopes, challenges, and fears. A medicine cat who must cast aside his dreams for the sake of duty. A queen who would die to protect her hated and reviled kits. A warrior who wants nothing more than to lead her clan. The pawprints of these cats and many others weave together to create NightClan.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! This is a character-driven story told from the perspectives of every single cat in a clan called NightClan. I only used a few of them in the first chapter. Anyway, this sort of works like a TV show but in fanfic format. I'll try to update every week or so, give or take a few days, and I have no idea when it will end. Probably when my inspiration runs out, or I get too busy, or I run out of scenarios to throw my characters into.**

 **So sit back and enjoy the very first chapter! Allegiances are the last chapter, and will be updated as the story progresses. So don't read them yet if you aren't caught up.**

 **Without further ado . . .**

* * *

It was nearly dark. A gray twilight haze was sweeping in over the thick forest, shrouding the branches and pine needles in shadow. A single star, the first to spring to life that night, was winking coldly overhead. Insects buzzed, an owl softly hooted, and a rustling sounded over the marshy woodlands. A mouse was scraping among dried-up stalks.

A sudden swish of fur, a tiny shriek, and all was silent.

A small she-cat stood among the dried grass, the mouse hanging by its tail from her jaws. She was slim, almost delicate looking, but her pale blue eyes glimmered like ice.

Her silver tabby coat shone even though it was dark, and her banded black tail rippled lazily through the air as she listened for more prey.

She spun around, bristling, at the sound of a cat's pawstep, dropping her catch. Then she relaxed and called out, her voice breaking through the other sounds of the forest, "Starlingpaw! You can come out now."

The bushes rustled, and another she-cat emerged. This one was young, but nearly the size of her fully-grown companion already. Her pitch-black fur blended in with the falling darkness, and her orange eyes were filled with frustration.

"Explain yourself," said the silver tabby, her tone soft but cold.

"Sorry, Willowpool," Starlingpaw stuttered. "I . . . er . . . just wanted to watch you hunt."

"You wanted to watch me hunt."

"Well, you always want to see _me_ hunt when we're training, but . . . you know I haven't quite gotten it yet. I thought if I watched your hunting crouch . . ."

Willowpool's pupils slid up a centimeter, until they stared vacantly at the space between Starlingpaw's ears. "I've demonstrated everything countless times. No, you're here to ambush me. You were circling around to those bushes . . ." She pointed with her tail. "They're downwind, the perfect place to stage an attack."

Starlingpaw's head drooped. Her mentor had out-smarted her again. "How did you even _know_ all of that?"

Willowpool disregarded her question. "Let's go have a chat with Sootpaw."

Starlingpaw's eyes widened. "Sootpaw?"

"Yes, Sootpaw. That little mischievous tom-cat you have a crush on. I bet he's the one who put you up to this." And with that, Willowpool picked up her mouse, spun around, and started walking back towards their home, the NightClan camp, beckoning with her tail for Starlingpaw to follow.

The black-furred apprentice barely suppressed a wail of misery before following her mentor, paws dragging. _Sootpaw will hate me forever,_ she thought. _Apprentices aren't supposed to be out at night, in case MoonClan attacks or something. Now we'll both be in trouble. Why did they make my mentor Willowpool, of all cats? Were they_ trying _to ruin my life?_

Starlingpaw had only been made an apprentice a moon prior. She was already a quiet cat, especially around strangers, but her failure to learn hunting coupled with Willowpool's reputation made it tricky for her and her mentor to bond. To Starlingpaw, it felt like there was a giant snow-capped mountain between them, a mountain which Willowpool expected her to climb all on her own.

Her siblings had it easy. Splashpaw and her mentor were already friends. Marshpaw had gotten one of the best warriors in the clan, and trailed after him like a dog on a twoleg leash. And arrogant, perfect-at-everything Cloverpaw complained that his mentor, Smolderfur, wasn't serious enough about training. But at least Smolderfur was _friendly_.

And then there was Sootpaw, the charming and compassionate tom who Starlingpaw and her sister had fought over practically since birth. Splashpaw was loud and friendly and confident, and after this catastrophe, Starlingpaw didn't know how she could ever become Sootpaw's mate.

Willowpool was aware of her apprentice's concerns, but as she padded slowly through the undergrowth towards camp, she had bigger things to think about. Many of her clanmates thought she was nothing but cold, arrogant, and power-hungry. If she wanted to achieve her life-long dream of being deputy, she would have to prove them wrong.

Willowpool led her apprentice through the thick coniferous trees. A cluster of pine needles brushed her cheek as she ducked under a branch. The forest floor was all peat and moss, with the occasional marshy puddle or pond. Mosquitos and dragonflies hummed and flitted about as the stars in the sky slowly multiplied.

Finally, the two cats arrived at a stream with deep waters and a languid current. Willowpool turned, stroking the glass-like surface with her tail as she followed the direction the water flowed. On the other side of the stream was a near-impenetrable wall of rushes, but Willowpool knew that the stream circled all the way around this oval of land.

It was almost an island, but not quite. A narrow land bridge, just wide enough for two cats to walk side by side, blocked the passage of the stream.

Willowpool led the way into the clan's camp, stepping delicately across the slippery bridge. To her left, the stream turned 90 degrees and flowed downhill and out of sight. To her right was the stream's source, a bubbling spring of clear water where the NightClan cats came to drink.

One of the younger warriors, Rowanblaze, was standing guard. His bushy ginger fur made him stand out as he stood facing the bridge. He bared his teeth at Willowpool as she approached.

Willowpool's eyes widened slightly. She had left camp before darkness had fallen, and hadn't expected Rowanblaze of all cats to be standing guard. She would have to improvise.

 _What's_ she _doing out this late?_ Rowanblaze wondered, staring at Willowpool with piercing gray eyes. _Scheming against Acornclaw again? Plotting to become the next deputy of the clan? Not on my watch._ Then he noticed the mouse dangling from the silver tabby's jaws, and her apprentice standing behind her. His snarl turned to a smug smile.

"Acornclaw's orders were clear, Willowpool. No apprentices out after dark," he said. "And you take Starlingpaw out for a training session? I think I should report this to . . ."

"No one's reporting anything to anyone," Willowpool said smoothly, setting her mouse down in front of the solid ginger tom. "In fact, Rowanblaze, I'm surprised you'd want to tell Acornclaw about this, considering the amount of trouble you'd be in . . ."

"What are you talking about?" Rowanblaze's deep voice was sharp, his tail-tip twitching nervously and the fur on the back of his neck pricking up.

"I found Starlingpaw sneaking around outside of camp while I was hunting," Willowpool said.

Starlingpaw's head drooped even further. _She's using me to stay out of trouble with Acornclaw!_ But Willowpool was telling the truth. Whatever punishment Starlingpaw received from the deputy, she would deserve it.

Willowpool continued. "Starlingpaw must have snuck past you to get out of camp, Rowanblaze. Surprising. She's only an apprentice. An apprentice who can't even stalk a mouse without it hearing."

Starlingpaw and Rowanblaze both flinched.

"Isn't that right, Starlingpaw?" Willowpool asked, turning towards her dark-furred apprentice.

 _If I lie, I'll get Willowpool in trouble,_ Starlingpaw thought, narrowing her eyes. _But if I tell the truth, Acornclaw will be furious with me. Not to mention my mother . . ._ She shuddered at the thought of Sparrowclaw finding out about this.

But something in Willowpool's ice blue eyes told her not to lie. So Starlingpaw tentatively followed her instincts. "Er . . . yes, that's right."

Rowanblaze's eyes widened. Conflicted, he glanced between Willowpool and the silent, sleeping camp behind him. _I can't tell Acornclaw about this. He's my friend, but he's also the clan deputy. He'll have to discipline me for not paying attention on watch. And I'm the only cat standing between Willowpool and deputyship, if Acornclaw retires. I can't get in trouble, not when every bit of Acornclaw and Dapplestar's favor counts. Thank StarClan it was just Starlingpaw and not a MoonClan patrol._

Willowpool's ear twitched as she guessed what Rowanblaze was thinking. "I was planning to take Starlingpaw right to Acornclaw, but I could deal with her myself instead. I'm sure I can come up with a suitable punishment. What will it be, Rowanblaze, your petty sense of honor, or the deputyship?"

That was the last straw for Rowanblaze. He stepped aside, his fur standing on end and his teeth showing. "Just go," he said, his voice quiet and full of venom. "And leave the mouse."

Willowpool knew she'd pay for this later, but at least she and her apprentice were out of trouble.

She walked to the center of the island, her head held high and Starlingpaw trotting behind her. She could hear Rowanblaze gulping down the prey she had caught, and her ears twitched. She passed the mound of mossy earth on her right that Dapplestar led clan meetings from. Behind it was a dip in the ground, sheltered by the fronds of a willow tree, where Dapplestar and her mate Rushnose were likely sleeping. Opposite the tallhill was the warriors' den, a small clearing surrounded by scraggly bushes and small spruces. Next to it sat the nursery and elders' den, two comfortable nooks full of flowers and starlight.

The medicine cat's den and apprentices' den were at the back of camp. The apprentices' den sat right next to the elders' corner of camp, so they could tend to them at all hours of the day (and night, if necessary). It was small and stony, and the first den to flood in a storm.

In contrast, the medicine cat's den was arguably the most beautiful area of camp. It was nearly as spacious as the warriors' den, with moss-lined nests for Hawkfur and the apprentice he might soon take. There was also a corner for sick or injured cats to stay, as well as a large rock with clefts for storing herbs. A tiny inlet of the stream near the herbs gave Hawkfur a clean water source.

Willowpool entered the apprentices' den and spun around, speaking in a low voice so as not to wake the young cats. "I hope you're pleased with yourself."

"Er . . ."

"You should have told me it was Rowanblaze who was on guard. You nearly sabotaged my chances at being deputy."

Starlingpaw shot her mentor a quick glare, before rapidly correcting her features. "Sorry. And thank you. I thought for a second you were turning me in." For the first time that night, she let her orange eyes meet Willowpool's blue ones.

Willowpool nodded abruptly, one ear twitching almost as though she were uncomfortable at the thanks. Slowly, haltingly, she said "You're not the only she-cat who's been driven crazy by a tom."

Starlingpaw grinned. She thought she might know which tom Willowpool was talking about. "It won't happen again," she said, her eyes hardening with resolve. "No one gets to make my decisions for me."

Starlingpaw thought Willowpool might have smiled, but a split second later, it was gone. "I'm beginning to see why you and your mother have such a hard time getting along."

It was a harsh thing to say, but Willowpool didn't mean it like that. _What she's trying to say is that she understands,_ Starlingpaw realized. _Of course she does. If I could choose between Sparrowclaw and Willowpool's parents, I'd take my mother gladly._ Starlingpaw smiled tentatively at her mentor. _Willowpool is just as bad this as I am_. _Maybe even worse. That's why she's so cold all the time. She's just shy, and bad at conveying her emotions._ "Thanks for understanding," Starlingpaw said.

Willowpool blinked. "Just because I understand doesn't mean you can escape your punishment. Let's go wake Sootpaw."

Starlingpaw almost shrieked, but stopped herself just in time.

The small black tabby and white tom woke with a start, his startled exclamation muffled by Willowpool's tailtip. Then the she-cat swatted his face with the tail. "Your little plan failed, Sootpaw," said Willowpool. Starlingpaw was unprepared for the venom in her mentor's voice, and she could see that the sleepy young tom-cat was as well. "The next time you want to humiliate me, do it yourself. Never _use_ my apprentice again, _brother._ "

Starlingpaw blinked. _I always forget those two are siblings,_ she thought. _They're nothing alike. But imagine having Willowpool for an older sister. Poor Sootpaw._

The black and white tom muttered something that only Willowpool could hear and closed his amber eyes without a word.

Then Willowpool slipped out of the apprentices' den and off into the night.

* * *

The morning dawned clear and bright for NightClan. Hawkfur watched it all happen from between the two bushes that framed the entrance to the medicine cat's den.

The apprentices woke first, bouncing up and down as usual. Cloverpaw and Sootpaw were in the lead, the two best friends staying side by side as always. Splashpaw tried to keep up with them, jabbering maniacally into Sootpaw's ear. Marshpaw was walking behind them, a small glint of determination in his eye as he prepared for another day of hard training. Starlingpaw brought up the rear, watching her sister with evident jealousy.

 _Sootpaw is Troutleap and Shadestripe's son. Looks just like his crazy mother,_ Hawkfur thought, his ears swiveling back and forth. _But those four siblings . . . who are their parents again?_

A rustle sounded from the warriors' den, and a brown and white tabby she-cat walked out, followed by a black tom. The she-cat stroked her tailtip along the tom's back playfully, and he smiled lovingly at her.

 _Ah, that's right,_ Hawkfur thought. _How could I forget the kits of my own sister? Well, I suppose I don't see Sparrowclaw all that often anymore. But still, it was all Windflight would talk about for weeks. How her brother and my sister were going to have kits. Said it in that adorable perky voice of hers . . . no, I shouldn't think about that._

Hawkfur watched silently as three young brothers, Rowanblaze, Forestheart, and Smolderfur, approached the apprentices. Rowanblaze walked in front and went right up to his apprentice, Marshpaw, while his brothers talked animatedly behind him.

Smolderfur dashed over to Cloverpaw and began explaining everything they would be doing that day. His excited voice carried across the island to Hawkfur's ears. Cloverpaw rolled his eyes at his kit-like mentor. Meanwhile, Forestheart and Splashpaw were chatting quietly.

Smolderfur and Forestheart left camp together, their apprentices at their sides. Rowanblaze took Marshpaw to train in a different corner of the forest.

 _It's no wonder that they've been driven apart,_ Hawkfur mused. _Rowanblaze has a family now. And he's vying to become clan deputy. But Forestheart and Smolderfur still act so young._

A memory flashed over Hawkfur's eyes. A beautiful brown tabby she-cat, her green eyes so calm and so kind, blood soaking her pelt and Hawkfur powerless to save her. And Sparrowclaw's wail as the life bled out of their mother's body.

"You're remembering again." The voice shoot Hawkfur out of his thoughts. He whipped his head around and snarled at the brown and pale ginger tabby she-cat who stood beside him.

Softly, Hawkfur said, "You startled me, Larkstep."

"Sorry, brother." The word came to her tongue naturally, reminiscent of days long past. Days when three brown tabby kits had played outside the nursery. To Larkstep, he had never been Hawkkit, just "brother."

"Don't think about it," she continued. Her green eyes were heavy with loss.

"You don't think about it enough," Hawkfur said quietly. "You have to relive it, over and over. That's the only way you can forgive yourself."

Larkstep shook her head, as if to clear it. "You never make any sense."

The two sat in silence for a moment. Then Larkstep said, "Sparrowclaw's kits have grown."

"Yes. We've paid less and less attention."

"Stop that. You always do that. Suck all the cheer from a conversation. Stop."

"It's the truth."

Silence again.

Larkstep felt bitterness and shame well up inside her. _Sparrowclaw just had to ruin everything. Mother's death_ wasn't _my fault. I was just trying to take care of the clan. It_ wasn't _my fault. Not my fault that Mother was Sparrowclaw's only friend. Well, Sparrowclaw has friends now, and a mate, and kits. I'm the one who's alone. All because she blamed me._

Hawkfur's thoughts echoed his sister's. _If Sparrowclaw hadn't blamed Larkstep, Larkstep might not have blamed herself. Might not_ still _blame herself._

"See you, brother," Larkstep said, trotting across the clearing towards her best (and only) friend, Heatherlight. The two she-cats headed across the bridge and into clan territory, likely for some early morning hunting.

The rest of the clan had emerged from their dens. Willowpool and Starlingpaw had gone out to train, as well as Rainpool and Sootpaw. Rainpool's brother Rushnose was lying side by side with his mate Dapplestar on the tallhill, sharing tongues. Sedgefur, Troutleap, and Birchflower had joined Sparrowclaw, and the four of them sat outside the nursery, chatting, as Birchflower's three kits played at their paws.

Badgerpelt, Birchflower's mate and a senior warrior, was watching the kits with pride from his patch of sunlight. He and Acornclaw were sitting together by the camp's entrance, Acornclaw's new mate Shadestripe beside them. Her belly was heavy with the kits she carried, and Hawkfur reminded himself to check up on her later, even though being around the older queen was a distasteful prospect.

Rumors about Shadestripe had been circulating the camp for moons, ever since she and Troutleap split up. "Did you hear, Shadestripe won't even talk to her own kits anymore?" "Did you hear how she's scared of everything now?" "Oh, that batty old she-cat isn't fit to be a mother. Why is she having more kits, anyway?" Hawkfur had done his best to tune out the noise.

Hawkfur also saw Mountainstorm and Silkripple sitting near the edge of camp, as though trying to go unnoticed. Acornclaw and his friends kept shooting them dirty glances. Silkripple was the newest warrior, a sweet little she-cat whose compassion far surpassed her intelligence, in Hawkfur's opinion. As he watched, she stood and quietly slipped out of camp. Mountainstorm stared at the ground dejectedly.

Mountainstorm was a former rogue. NightClan had often accepted rogues as warriors back when Hawkfur was growing up, but since the war with MoonClan had started, many cats were paranoid. Acornclaw, the deputy of the clan, was especially biased towards outsiders, spreading rumors that they were MoonClan spies. Mountainstorm had had a hard time fitting in.

Speaking of outsiders . . . Hawkfur let his gaze slide over towards the nursery again. The young queen Honeytail, Rowanblaze's mate, had emerged with her three kits. One, little Adderkit, looked just like his mother. But the two she-kits were different.

Willowpool had found them on the MoonClan border several weeks prior. They reeked of the enemy clan, but they were starving and needed to be cared for. Honeytail had only just given birth to a single tom-kit, and she had milk enough to feed them.

When a patrol had taken them back to MoonClan a day later, there had been fear that none of the cats would return. The enmity between the clans was so deep that even peaceful, warrior-code-sanctioned ventures into the other clan's territory could be met with violence. But the patrol had returned safely, and they still had the kits with them. None of the MoonClan queens had claimed them. They were NightClan's now.

Honeytail had accepted the kits without question, but many cats, including Acornclaw, treated them with open hostility. Even Honeytail's mate, Rowanblaze, had had trouble adopting the two she-kits as his own.

Hawkfur closed his eyes and looked down, trying to clear his thoughts. When he opened them again, two bright amber eyes were staring into his own.

He stepped back, startled. A wiry black and white she-cat stood in front of him, grinning at his reaction, a laugh halfway out of her mouth.

It was Windflight. Hawkfur's brain was immediately scrambled. He couldn't think of anything to say or do. He just stared as she laughed at him, and his mind inevitably flashed back to the day all his troubles began.

It was back when he was just a medicine cat apprentice, and she had recently become a warrior. One day, she had decided to help him gather herbs out in the forest. They had become friends, and soon, almost more than that.

Ever since then, she had come every day to the medicine den. Helped him sort his herb collection. Talk for hours on end.

Hawkfur didn't like the sound of voices. But Windflight's was the exception.

 _StarClan has forbidden me from having a mate and kits,_ Hawkfur thought. _But they never said anything about a crush._

On the other side of the territory, the young warrior Silkripple stared into the wide blue eyes of Swifttail of MoonClan and had much the same thought.

* * *

 **So, what did you think of the very first chapter? Do you want me to write more? Have a suggestion? Please comment!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! It's been a couple weeks, but I decided to revisit this and write another chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

The Greenleaf trees whispered overhead as Silkripple and Swifttail sat facing each other.

"So, how are things going in NightClan?" asked Swifttail, grinning. He seemed so at ease, his wide blue eyes staring inquisitively at her. Silkripple glanced down at her paws.

"Err . . . we're fine. Besides our clans being at war, and all. But that's been going on since I was a kit, so . . ." She trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

Swifttail's expression darkened, then the calm smile returned to his face as it always did. "At least there haven't been any battles recently."

"Yes, I'm glad of that," Silkripple said with a sigh. "I hate having to pretend you're my enemy."

"That was just the one time. We've only been friends for a couple of moons. Seeing your face every day is worth an occasional battle."

Silkripple smiled. "You're such an optimist." It seemed like she had known Swifttail for so much longer than three moons. He had become her best friend. And that was worth all the sneaking around, and breaking the warrior code. Also, there was _a lot_ of anti-MoonClan sentiment in NightClan these days. It wasn't entirely undeserved, either. So many cats had lost their lives to MoonClan.

But Swifttail was Silkripple's closest friend. He was different from his clanmates. She could tell him anything. _Except that I have feelings for him, of course,_ she thought. _That's a_ real _violation of the warrior code. Besides, I doubt he feels the same way. But if I don't tell him, nothing will ever happen. We'll stay friends, and I'll still have these feelings that I don't know what to do with. That might be even worse._

Silkripple wished she could find her answer the same as finding prey or a healing herb. She loved exploring. She could dash off into the forest and look behind every bush and tree until her curiosity was satisfied, her question answered. But it wasn't as simple as that.

"Silkripple, you've got that look on your face," Swifttail said in his usual understanding tone.

"What look?"

"The look you get when you need to answer a question and you're about to do something reckless, or dangerous, or exciting. The same look as when you asked me to meet you at the border after the gathering, the day we met." He smiled and swished his tail. "Are you about to drag me on another wild search for answers?" he asked teasingly.

"No, I think I have to solve this problem on my own. Another time, though." Silkripple grinned at him.

"Okay, I understand. See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

Silkripple dragged her paws as she walked back towards camp. _I really hate living like this, don't I? Keeping secrets from my mother and my friends, never able to tell Swifttail how I feel . . . I came so close today. I should have just told him and gotten it over with, but I don't want to hurt him, or anyone else. For StarClan's sake, I should either tell him or end this. It's too lonely. It's torture._

* * *

"Get your paws off me. I'm fine." Shadestripe's sharp words hit Hawkfur like a twoleg monster, and he gently removed his paw from her ever-expanding belly.

"You act as though you don't care about your kits at all," Hawkfur said, frustrated. It was nearly sun-high. The mentors had returned with their apprentices, Silkripple had gotten back from her short hunting trip, and he had finally gotten over his shock at Windflight's surprise appearance.

A loud, enthusiastic voice sounded from behind Hawkfur. "It's okay, Hawkfur," Windflight said cheerfully. She had been shadowing him since she had first made her sudden arrival that morning. "I think Shadestripe is afraid you'll hurt her kits. I've heard queens get so protective, even over kits who aren't born yet! I wonder if . . ."

"I'm trying to help your kits, not hurt them," said Hawkfur, and Windflight directed her endless babbling towards Honeytail and Birchflower, who were sitting nearby.

They were all crowded inside the sunlit nursery, kits scampering around their paws. Birchflower's three kits were nearly four moons old, and were playing outside. But Honeytail's litter couldn't be out of the nursery on their own, so they kept getting tangled under Hawkfur's paws.

 _I_ hate _kits,_ he thought, as one of the MoonClan sisters Honeytail had adopted barreled into Hawkfur's side.

"Meadowkit, watch where you're going!" Honeytail called.

 _Oh, it's that one._ Meadowkit had been pestering Hawkfur since the day she arrived in NightClan, asking if she could help him gather herbs and badgering him with countless questions about illnesses, injuries, and their treatments. It was annoying and distracting, but Hawkfur couldn't do much about it. She was a kit, after all, and Honeytail would skin him alive if he so much as growled at her.

He was yanked back into the moment as Shadestripe shrunk back in her nest. "You're trying to help? That's what they all say. You'll do more harm than good." She lowered her murky yellow gaze and began grooming her black tabby and white fur.

Windflight broke off her sentence and glanced at Hawkfur and Shadestripe, a worried expression on her face. "Hawkfur, maybe you shouldn't . . ."

It was too late. Hawkfur had already placed his paw back on Shadestripe's belly. "Shadestripe, for the kits' sake, you have to let me . . . "

" _Get away from me!"_ screeched the queen, lashing out with thorn-sharp claws. The blow struck Hawkfur on the face, and the scratch immediately began to sting. He recoiled, his green eyes wide as he stared at Shadestripe in shock.

Windflight watched as several thin diagonal lines of red appeared just above Hawkfur's nose. For once, the she-cat couldn't think of anything to say. The surprised look on the medicine cat's face was so different from when Windflight had frightened him earlier. _That_ look had been adorable and hilarious. Hawkfur was always doing funny things like that, accidentally breaking out of his calm and serious persona and making Windflight laugh. But now, Hawkfur's shocked face was different. It was angry, and frightening.

Then the anger receded from Hawkfur's eyes. He stepped away from Shadestripe and walked out of the nursery without a word.

Windflight stood up and followed him. _I've never seen him so angry before,_ she thought. _Why is he so upset? It can't just be the scratches . . ._

"Hawkfur!" Windflight called.

He stopped next to the thinly woven nursery wall, his eyes hard. They softened just a little when he saw her. "Yes?" The blood was starting to drip off his nose and onto the peaty ground.

"Are you . . . Are you alright?"

"I hate cats like that," Hawkfur said. More than anything, he sounded tired.

"Cats like what?" _What is he talking about?_

His eyes met Windflight's. "Cats who need help but won't ask for it, won't accept it. They hurt themselves. They hurt the cats they love. They hurt me, too, because I'm powerless to save them. I have to watch them destroying themselves, knowing I can help but completely unable to do so all the same. Sometimes I wonder if anyone else knows what that's like."

Windflight's eyes widened. _He always talks about deep, wise, medicine cat stuff that makes no sense,_ she thought. _But this is different. Now he's talking about himself, about his own pain._ "But Shadestripe's kits will be fine. Won't they?" she said.

"Yes. As fine as they can be, with a mother who's going insane." He looked down again.

"What?! You think she . . ."

"Yes."

 _That makes a surprising amount of sense._ "I . . . you should probably take care of that scratch. It's still bleeding."

"Oh. Right." Hawkfur started walking back towards the medicine cat's den, Windflight at his heels.

"I'll get cobwebs," she said, trying to fill up Hawkfur's silent sadness. "And marigold and horsetail. I'll chew up a poultice for you. You've taught me so well, I can make it on my own . . ."

From her nest near the nursery wall, Honeytail sighed and turned away. The woven brambles were thin, and she couldn't have helped overhearing Hawkfur and Windflight's conversation.

She glanced over at Birchflower, who was crouched beside Shadestripe, asking nervously if she was all right, if she needed any food or water, if her nest was soft enough. This was how it had been since Shadestripe had entered the nursery expecting her third litter of kits. _And while she was raising her second, as well,_ Honeytail thought sadly. Honeytail was still a young she-cat, but she had never completed her warrior training, deciding to live a peaceful life helping the queens raise their kits in the nursery. Shadestripe had been in the middle of raising Sootpaw when she and Troutleap had stopped being mates. _She was never quite the same after that. Not that she was entirely right to begin with._

Honeytail sighed, putting the matter out of her mind and closing her eyes. She had been napping before Hawkfur had arrived, her first proper sleep in days, while Birchflower looked after her boisterous kits.

A minute passed. Honeytail's thoughts became increasingly distant and disjointed as she was pulled towards sleep.

Suddenly, a claw-sharp voice slashed into her consciousness. "Get away! _Get it away from me!_ "

Honeytail's head shot up. Meadowkit's sister Sagekit was battling playfully at Shadestripe's tail. The Bengal she-kit shied away, momentarily startled, then hissed at Shadestripe with a fiery expression.

Honeytail was instantly on her feet, her back arched and a growl at the back of her throat. " _Get away from my daughter!"_

Shadestripe seemed surprised and angry, but the insanity had faded from her eyes. Honeytail slumped, her head hanging, her eyes wide. _Good. Sagekit is safe. I can't believe Shadestripe would do that, insane as she is . . . she knows how much I hate conflict, and how angry I get when my kits are threatened._

Shadestripe lashed her tail. "Tell the MoonClan kits to stay away from me. They shouldn't even be in this clan." Then she buried her head back in the moss.

Honeytail couldn't even say anything in her daughters' defense. She just collapsed back into her nest, eyes filled with sadness. She felt afraid, and alone.

Birchflower watched the young queen from the other side of the nursery. _Honeytail should stand up for those kits more. She should stand up for herself more,_ Birchflower thought. _She loves her kits, but she only protects them in the most dangerous situations. She's too afraid of confrontation._

Meanwhile, Sagekit was sitting on the nursery floor. Meadowkit was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear it over her own heartbeat. _Why does everyone think something is wrong with me?_

* * *

It was hours before Shadestripe could calm herself down. Two big frights in a span of minutes was too much for her.

 _Why does everyone want to hurt my kits?_ she thought as she lay in her mossy bed. The bramble roof above her head mostly obscured the darkening sky. _First the medicine cat, and then those MoonClan spies. I'll just have to be extra watchful. And Acornclaw will help protect me._

Acornclaw and the unborn kits were all Shadestripe had left. Her old family had abandoned her, betrayed her. She was starting over, now. As long as she could keep her kits safe, everything would be okay . . .

Frostkit had been sitting and watching Shadestripe since just after her second outburst earlier. It wasn't like the small, fluffy white she-kit had anything else to do. Her brothers were off on some adventure as usual, and the younger kits were still traumatized after Shadestripe's near-attack of Sagekit. _Weaklings,_ thought Frostkit. Honeytail had taken them outside to cheer them up, so Frostkit was left alone with Shadestripe and a half-asleep Birchflower.

 _This is stupid. Just because I look weak and delicate doesn't mean Ashkit and Stormkit can abandon me like this. Not that I need them, anyway. I'm perfectly fine on my own . . ._ Frostkit was shaken out of her thoughts by the sound of tiny pawsteps approaching.

Frostkit looked up to see a dark brown tabby tom walking towards her. It was Adderkit, Meadowkit and Sagekit's adoptive brother. Though he was more than two moons younger than her, he was nearly her size already. He sat down beside her, scowling.

"Oh, are your sisters finally done acting traumatized?" Frostkit asked as Adderkit sat down beside her. She kept her voice low, so Birchflower and Shadestripe couldn't hear.

"No. I just got tired of listening to them moan about how unfair it was."

"How unfair what was?"

"Honeytail decided to tell them why some of the cats in our clan hate them so much." Adderkit kept his green eyes fixed on the opposite wall of the clearing.

"Oh." For once, Frostkit couldn't think of anything snarky to say.

"It really is unfair, though," Adderkit said with a sigh. "They get treated differently, but they didn't do anything wrong." His voice hardened. "It isn't right."

Frostkit nodded. _What Adderkit is saying is true. But there's nothing we can do, so why worry over it?_

"Why are you sitting here on your own, anyway?" he asked. Frostkit's glare was so sharp, he had to look away. "Um, not that there's anything wrong with that." _I can't believe the only thing I'm really scared of is a fluffy little she-kit,_ he thought. _She's only two moons older than me! But still, she's scary._

"Stormkit and Ashkit abandoned me. As usual."

"Those two are so full of themselves," Adderkit muttered. "Especially Ashkit."

"Agreed. It's just sometimes . . ." Frostkit looked up at Adderkit, encompassed by a sudden need to share what she was thinking. Adderkit glanced at her, surprised by the sudden change in tone. "Sometimes I wish they wouldn't leave me all alone, like I'm worthless."

Adderkit's eyes widened. He wasn't sure exactly what to say. _I guess in some ways, we're all alone._


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I've been really inspired this week, so what follows is the result of using all my free time to write for the past three days. I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you have just as much fun reading it.**

* * *

Moonlight filtered down through the thick needles of NightClan's pine forest. The air smelled of marsh and wet tree bark. The ground was soft and boggy underpaw, and Greenleaf fireflies were winking among the branches.

Acornclaw glanced up, taking in the sight of the fireflies and the full moon in the sky. Then he narrowed his eyes in determination and plunged deeper into the forest.

He could hear soft squelching noises behind him as the clan stepped carefully through the marsh. Dapplestar was at his side, her green eyes shining brighter than the moon. She had always loved gatherings.

 _A waste of time, in my opinion,_ Acornclaw thought, his fur standing on end as he continued to shove his way through the pines. _Just gives MoonClan another excuse to claim we're trespassers, question the courage and honor of our warriors, and threaten battle. Fox-breathed scum._ He lashed his reddish-brown tabby tail, his green eyes flashing.

"Acornclaw, you okay?" Acornclaw's head whipped around. Badgerpelt was walking beside him, the gray and white tom eyeing him with cautious concern. Badgerpelt was Acornclaw's best friend, the only cat who he really trusted. _If any other cat asked me if I was okay, I'd claw their ears off._

"Fine. I just expect MoonClan to act up tonight," he said.

Badgerpelt flinched, as he always did when MoonClan was brought up in a conversation. _They killed his daughter. It's only natural that he would hate those cowards even more than I do._

"Yes, I suspect you're right," said the other senior warrior, his golden eyes narrowed slightly.

"What should we do if they attack, Acornclaw?" asked Rowanblaze, who was walking just behind the deputy.

Acornclaw turned his head slightly. "What do _you_ think we should do?" _If Rowanblaze wants to become deputy, he should stop asking me for advice and start proving his value to the clan._

"Well . . . Some warriors should concentrate on getting the queens and elders to safety. The others should fight back! We can't let those scoundrels in MoonClan dishonor StarClan." Rowanblaze's tail whipped back and forth, and he bared his teeth.

Badgerpelt turned to look at the younger warrior. "As much as I would like to shed MoonClan blood tonight, we'd be breaking the warrior code and putting the elders and queens in even more danger if we fought back." The gray and white tom's eyes flicked to his mate Birchflower, then back to Rowanblaze.

Acornclaw opened his mouth to state his opinion, but was interrupted by a clear, high voice from his other side. "The three of you are forgetting to take the other clans into account." It was Willowpool. The moon shone on her silver tabby pelt, and her clear blue eyes confidently met Acornclaw's. "If MoonClan decides to break the warrior code, which I highly doubt they will, then SunClan and RainClan will stand alongside us against them. If we can put on a simple show of force with help from the other two clans, MoonClan will back down."

Acornclaw stifled a growl. _Conceited piece of fox-dung._ "Perhaps you should be leaving the strategizing to me and Dapplestar, Willowpool," he said calmly.

"But Willowpool is right," Badgerpelt interjected. "Perhaps RainClan and SunClan will be of some help."

 _Don't encourage her, you mousebrain!_ Acornclaw thought, frustrated, as Willowpool dipped her head in Badgerpelt's direction.

"Are we seriously planning to solve our problems by cowering behind the other clans?" Rowanblaze asked, glaring at Willowpool. He was furious that the silver tabby had stolen his chance to gain favor with Acornclaw. _Dapplestar is on her last life,_ he thought. _Acornclaw is getting older. It's only a matter of time before one of them dies or retires, and then either me or Willowpool will become the next deputy. It_ has _to be me!_

"I plan to use the other clans as a weapon against our enemies," stated Willowpool calmly. "Someday, Rowanblaze, you'll learn the difference between cowering and exploiting. It isn't all that hard to see." Then she let Rowanblaze, Acornclaw, and Badgerpelt draw ahead of her and melted back into the rest of the clan.

The three toms exchanged glances. Rowanblaze's eyes burned with anger, while Acornclaw appeared frustrated and Badgerpelt merely thoughtful.

Dapplestar's calm, friendly voice shook them out of their contemplation. "Willowpool's idea isn't a bad one," she said.

 _Was she listening this whole time?_ Acornclaw wondered.

"Acornclaw, you shouldn't let your pride get in the way of your duty to your clan," Dapplestar continued. The fur pricked up on Acornclaw's back. _She has no right to humiliate me like this._ No _right! Someday, I'll be leading this clan and this mousebrain of a leader will have to sit in StarClan and watch. We'll see if she's so condescending then._ But Acornclaw voiced none of this. He only nodded. Dapplestar smiled at him. _Hah. She thinks I'm her friend. She's got no idea how_ annoying _she can be. Stupid piece of mousedung._

"Oh, and Rowanblaze?" Dapplestar asked.

"Yes?"

"I have a special task for you. I need you to watch the MoonClan cats closely and make sure none of them make a move to attack. You're a strong warrior, and I know you won't let me down." She smiled again, then trotted back to the very front of the clan.

Rowanblaze looked pleased with himself. _Well, that's one thing Dapplestar does well,_ Acornclaw thought grudgingly. _She's good at making the younger warriors feel important. Must be why she's so popular with them._ Acornclaw had few friends among the junior warriors of the clan. Most of them thought he was proud and full of himself, and that he too often disregarded their opinions and ideas. Rowanblaze was the only young cat who showed him the proper respect, but that was because he wanted to become deputy someday. _Rowanblaze would be a good enough deputy. I just wish he would make that pathetic mate of his give up those two MoonClan brats. I don't want them anywhere near Shadestripe._ Acornclaw had noticed how worried his mate had been getting lately, and with her kits so close to being born, he didn't want to stress her out even more.

The cats walked for several more minutes before emerging into a clearing awash with moonlight. Behind the clearing, a jagged cliff ascended for twenty fox-lengths, before leveling out onto a thin plateau. And beyond that stood a majestic mountain, its snowy white peak lost among the stars.

Acornclaw could just make out a waterfall, nearly hidden on the right side of the mountain's base. He couldn't see the cave behind the sheet of falling water, but he knew it was there. _The_ _Mooncave. Where I'll receive my nine lives._

"Sootpaw! Pay attention. This is your first gathering, after all." Sootpaw almost jumped at his mentor Rainpool's voice, and he quickly looked away from the deputy. Still, he couldn't get Acornclaw's smug smile out of his head.

"Sootpaw," Rainpool said, this time in a teasing tone. "What's wrong? Overwhelmed? I don't blame you; it's a lot of cats, after all."

 _She's right about that,_ Sootpaw thought. The whole clearing was crawling with cats. RainClan, SunClan, and MoonClan had already arrived.

The territories of the four clans were arranged in a semicircle in front of the mountain. Sootpaw could see MoonClan territory to his right, an open meadow dotted with small trees and bushes. To his left was RainClan's land, a thick jungle-like forest. And just beyond that was the barren, sandy beach where SunClan lived.

 _Wow! HighCliff is so tall!_ Sootpaw bounded forward a few paces before remembering his mentor. "I'm not overwhelmed," he said happily. "I am _so_ not overwhelmed! Can I . . ."

"Go right ahead," Rainpool said with a smile. "Just don't tell MoonClan all our secrets, or fall in love with she-cats from other clans, or . . ."

Sootpaw laughed and bounded forward. "I won't!" he yelled over his shoulder, charging into the big clump of cats.

Rainpool chuckled to herself, then felt Dapplestar's pelt brush up against hers as the leader walked calmly towards the clearing. "Here we go," Dapplestar whispered, before bounding towards the cliff ledge where the other leaders sat.

Rainpool raised her head and prepared to follow her leader. That's when she noticed Acornclaw, who was still staring at the Mooncave with a hungry expression on his face.

 _Hmm,_ she thought. _I'll have to keep an eye on him._

Meanwhile, Sootpaw was trying to take in everything at once. _So many cats!_

"Hey, Sootpaw! How great is this?" It was Cloverpaw, Sootpaw's best friend.

"It's awesome!" Sootpaw replied.

"Isn't it?" said a high, perky voice. Splashpaw had dashed over and was standing on Sootpaw's other side. "Who should we go talk to first?"

"How about those apprentices from RainClan?" suggested Cloverpaw. "Oh, wait . . . no, some MoonClan apprentices are joining them."

"Oh, come on!" Sootpaw protested. "MoonClan warriors might be cowardly and battle-hungry, but why should that stop us from talking to their apprentices?" His amber eyes gleamed with mischief. "They might tell us something interesting! Reveal MoonClan's secrets . . ."

"Sootpaw is right," Splashpaw stated. "I don't think we would like being judged for the actions of the warriors in _our_ clan."

Cloverpaw snorted. _Splashpaw would agree with Sootpaw no matter_ what _he said,_ thought the large black-and-white tom. "For StarClan's sake, come on." He started towards a pair of SunClan apprentices, Sootpaw and Splashpaw following reluctantly behind.

But before the three apprentices could reach the SunClan cats, a yowl sounded over the clearing. A hush fell over the warriors of all four clans, and Sootpaw's eyes widened. _The gathering is starting!_ he thought, taking a seat on the dusty, bare ground.

The four leaders sat on a ledge midway up HighCliff. Sootpaw caught sight of Dapplestar sitting on the far left. Next to her was a ginger tabby and white she-cat who was murmuring in the calico's ear. Beside the ginger tabby was a massive gray tom, his face split with scars. And on the far right was a wiry black and white cat with yellow eyes as sharp as a bird of prey's. It was he who had called the clans to order.

"Who's that?" Sootpaw whispered in Splashpaw's ear. He had been made an apprentice a half-moon after Splashpaw and her siblings, and they had already attended a gathering before this one. Cloverpaw scowled at them for talking, but let Splashpaw answer.

"That's Eaglestar . . . MoonClan's leader." She shivered slightly.

"Oh."

"And there's Shinestar of RainClan and Slatestar of SunClan."

Sootpaw merely nodded. His eyes were riveted on Eaglestar as the cats of the four clans sat and turned to listen.

Eaglestar opened his mouth to speak, but Dapplestar beat him to it. "May I begin the gathering?" she asked in a friendly tone, though her eyes were cold.

"Go ahead," Shinestar said.

 _Rainpool mentioned something about us and RainClan forging an alliance a few moons back . . ._ thought Sootpaw. _Lots of NightClan cats were unhappy about it. We've been fighting with RainClan over territory for generations, and many cats lost their lives. But not nearly as many as have died in the war with MoonClan. Rainpool said, 'we can't fight on two fronts.' I think I understand what she means, now._

"A lot has happened in our clan in the past moon," Dapplestar said, surveying the cats below her. "We have a new warrior, Silkripple!"

The cats of NightClan, including Sootpaw, cheering enthusiastically. RainClan and SunClan joined in. Nearly all the MoonClan cats stayed silent.

"We also have a new apprentice, Sootpaw, and Shadestripe has gone into the nursery expecting our deputy Acornclaw's kits."

Sootpaw's heart soared as he heard the cheers of the cats around him, then plummeted as he heard the second part of Dapplestar's statement. _Shadestripe . . . expecting more kits already. Announced it a day after I became an apprentice. I guess this is her way of moving on. Out with the old, in with the new. Out with the old . . ._

As if she could sense how he was feeling, Splashpaw gave him a reassuring nudge. He smiled at her sadly, but couldn't help getting caught up in the sharp stare of another pair of eyes. Willowpool.

She was watching him with her head slightly tilted, as if gauging his reaction to Dapplestar's words. He glared at her, and she gave him a look of such sympathy that he almost let himself think it was real. He could nearly hear his sister's voice in his head. _You spend too much time chasing our mother around, like you're begging for her attention. Can't you see she wants to be left alone? Just let her go. Accept that she doesn't want you, doesn't want us. Let her go._ Sootpaw frowned and banished Willowpool's voice from his mind. _She doesn't know anything,_ he thought. _She thinks she can just give up on the cat who raised her. I_ know _Shadestripe still loves me! I just need to get her to remember . . ._

Rainpool sat just behind her apprentice, calmly watching his reaction to Dapplestar's words. _Sootpaw is so oblivious sometimes,_ she thought. _He doesn't realize that Splashpaw and Starlingpaw both like him. He doesn't realize that his sister has his back. And he doesn't realize that his mother has very little hope of recovery. I would help if I could . . . but Sootpaw needs to work these things out on his own._

Dapplestar was speaking again, so Rainpool shifted her focus to the leader's words. "Finally, two new kits have joined our clan," she said. Rainpool's eyes widened. _Is she . . ._ "We found them half a moon ago by the MoonClan border. They reeked of your clan, Eaglestar."

A wave of murmurs hit Rainpool's ears. Cats from the other three clans were whispering to their neighbors, wondering what Dapplestar was trying to do.

"When we tried to peacefully return these kits to their home, MoonClan turned them down," Dapplestar continued. "Now Meadowkit and Sagekit live in NightClan and are cared for by our queens." Dapplestar waited a moment for the noise in the clearing to die down. Then she said, "What clan would abandon their own kits to die and then refuse them when they are brought back, alive? Does NightClan really take such good care of its kits that MoonClan thought they would be better off with us? Well, Eaglestar, I'll tell you this: I don't care why you let these kits go. NightClan will raise them anyway. And someday, they'll have to fight against their own family, their own birth clan. Why would you do such a thing? Why would you condemn innocent kits to such a fate? Are you really so heartless?"

The cats at the gathering sat silently, their jaws slack.

 _What is she doing? Is she trying to start a fight?_ Rainpool wondered. _No . . . she wants to show the other clans how cruel MoonClan is._

Slatestar of SunClan stood up, his long gray fur blown back by the slight breeze. "Why would you accuse Eaglestar of such a thing?"

"What Dapplestar says is true!" exclaimed Shinestar. "Our medicine cat saw these kits when she went to trade herbs with Hawkfur!"

"Perhaps your friendship with Dapplestar has clouded your judgement," Eaglestar said, his voice calm and cold. "Any sensible cat knows that all NightClan warriors do is tell lies."

Slatestar's amber eyes flicked between Shinestar and Eaglestar. Then he said, "Eaglestar is right. NightClan have always been liars."

Dapplestar lashed her tail, fur bristling. "So, you have finally chosen a side, Slatestar? I hope you'll be happy with your choice once the blood of your warriors has stained the waters of the ocean red."

"Make no mistake, Dapplestar," said Eaglestar, just loud enough for the warriors below the cliff to hear. "It will be _your_ warriors who will bleed."

And then he scrambled down the jagged cliff face and led his warriors back towards their territory. With one final hiss in Dapplestar's direction, Slatestar did the same.

Few cats spoke as Dapplestar, Shinestar, and their clans returned to their respective territories. The sky was dark. Clouds had covered the moon.

* * *

"Honeytail! Honeytail, wake up!" Honeytail's brown eyes blinked open at the nervous hiss in her hear.

"Mm? Who's there?" she whispered. Then she looked up and saw her ginger-furred mate, Rowanblaze, his form outlined in moonlight.

Honeytail stood up from her thick, moss-lined nest in the nursery. Her three kits whimpered softly, already missing their mother's warmth, but went right back to sleep. Honeytail slipped out of the nursery entrance, Rowanblaze following.

"Honeytail, there's something we need to talk about." Rowanblaze's gray eyes were narrowed, and he looked reluctant.

Honeytail's eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing. _Rowanblaze, it isn't about the kits again, is it?_ She directed the thought at her mate, knowing he couldn't hear her. _I don't want to argue again . . ._

Rowanblaze cleared his throat, finally meeting Honeytail's eyes. "Dapplestar told the clans about Sagekit and Meadowkit."

". . . . oh." _They aren't going to harm them. I won't let them . . ._

Rowanblaze's tail brushed her flank, and he began grooming her ears, the gentle strokes of his tongue calming her racing heartbeat. After a moment, he said, "It's fine. Everything will be fine."

As Rowanblaze told her everything that had happened at the gathering, Honeytail focused on her breathing.

"You okay?" he asked, when he was finally finished. "You know I won't let them hurt you or the kits, right?"

"Explain it to me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

This was their ritual. Honeytail was too nervous, too cowardly. If Rowanblaze explained the situation, she would be able to calm down.

"Well, here's what we know," he said, taking a step back and pausing to gather his thoughts. "MoonClan abandoned Sagekit and Meadowkit for some reason. We don't know why, and Eaglestar isn't going to explain it to us. He's just pretending we made up the whole thing. And Slatestar believes him." He paused, staring towards the outer wall of the camp angrily. "Those MoonClan cowards won't admit what they did. He deserves what we'll do to him once we finally win this war."

"Yes, maybe you're right." Honeytail didn't want such a painful fate for any cat, but Eaglestar was the one who had abandoned her precious daughters to die . . .

"Of course I'm right." Rowanblaze smiled at her.

 _Cats like Willowpool and Hawkfur would mistake this for arrogance,_ Honeytail thought. _But he just has so much confidence in himself . . . I'm lucky to have a mate who is so honorable, and who cares about me so much._ Then another thought occurred to her. "What if Eaglestar wanted our kits dead for a reason?" she asked haltingly. "Will he . . . will MoonClan come for them? Will they . . ."

Rowanblaze's tailtip brushed across her muzzle, silencing her. "I'm not going to let that happen." His eyes hardened. "I know I've been . . . hesitant about letting Sagekit and Meadowkit into the clan, into our family. But no cat is going to hurt those kits on my watch."

Honeytail smiled gratefully and nuzzled her mate before slipping back into the nursery.

From a patch of tall grass by the nursery entrance, two kits had been watching everything that had just transpired. One was white with gray points, the other was gray tabby and white.

The gray tabby turned to the other kit, his nose quivering. "Ashkit, what do we do?" he asked. "I . . . I don't want Sagekit and Meadowkit to be taken away from us."

"Neither do I," said Ashkit, a serene smile on his face. "We have so much fun together! But you heard Rowanblaze; he'll protect them. And our father, Badgerpelt, will help! Don't fuss about it, Stormkit."

"I'm still worried."

"You're always worried!"

"Isn't there . . . something we can do?"

"Do you really think you can do anything? A little kit like you, with so little confidence in yourself? You know better than that." Ashkit grinned as though he hadn't just insulted his brother.

 _Ashkit is so strange,_ Stormkit thought. _Maybe he just doesn't realize that some of the things he says are offensive? But it's so hard to feel hurt when he's got that goofy smile on his face . . . Maybe that's why we're such good friends. I'm the only one who can tolerate his insensitivity, and he's the only one to can tolerate my insecurity and cowardice. Maybe that's why I'm so worried . . . because I'm a coward? But if I think that, doesn't that make me even more insecure? I just don't know . . ._

Ashkit seemed to sense Stormkit's discouragement. "So, you want to be able to protect Sagekit and Meadowkit in case MoonClan attacks?"

Stormkit's eyes narrowed, and he felt a wave of determination. "Yes!"

"Well, you'll have to work hard. We can battle train together, until we're strong enough to defend Sagekit and Meadowkit from a fully-grown warrior."

"Okay!" _We're only kits. MoonClan will probably eat us alive. But I guess we might as well try._

* * *

 **What did you think of this chapter? Do you have a favorite cat, or one you'd like to see more of? Please put all of your thoughts, ideas, and feedback in comments!**


	4. Allegiances

ALLEGIANCES

 **NightClan**

LEADER **Dapplestar -** pretty calico she-cat with green eyes

DEPUTY **Acornclaw -** large, handsome copper tabby tom with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT **Hawkfur** \- lean brown tabby tom with yellow-green eyes

WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)

 **Rushnose** \- small blue-gray tom with blue-green eyes

 **Rainpool** \- dark blue-gray she-cat with yellow-orange eyes  
 **Apprentice, Sootpaw**

 **Badgerpelt** \- dark gray and white tom with dark yellow eyes

 **Troutleap** \- small silver tabby tom with yellow eyes

 **Heatherlight** \- very light brown she-cat with pale green eyes

 **Sparrowclaw** \- dark brown tabby and white she-cat with orange eyes

 **Larkstep** \- pretty brown tabby she-cat with patches of pale ginger and brilliant green eyes

 **Windflight** \- wiry white she-cat with a black tail, ears, and eye patch and amber eyes

 **Darkfrost** \- black tom with bright yellow-green eyes

 **Mountainstorm** \- pale cream tom with a dark brown tail, legs, face, and ears and pale blue eyes

 **Willowpool** \- beautiful small silver tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes  
 **Apprentice – Starlingpaw**

 **Sedgefur** \- long-haired black and white she-cat with golden-green eyes

 **Forestheart** \- dark brown tom with pale green eyes  
 **Apprentice – Splashpaw**

 **Rowanblaze** \- large bright ginger tom with gray eyes  
 **Apprentice – Marshpaw**

 **Smolderfur** \- dark ginger tabby and white tom with orange eyes  
 **Apprentice – Cloverpaw**

 **Silkripple** \- pale tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes and sleek, silky fur

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

 **Cloverpaw** \- large black and white tom with brilliant green eyes

 **Starlingpaw** \- black she-cat with bright orange eyes

 **Marshpaw** \- dark brown tabby and white tom with golden eyes

 **Splashpaw** \- white she-cat with dark gray patches and dull green eyes

 **Sootpaw** \- small black tabby and white tom with amber eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

 **Shadestripe** \- black tabby and white she-cat with murky yellow eyes (expecting Acornclaw's kits)

 **Birchflower** \- beautiful light gray tabby she-cat with pale green eyes (mother to Badgerpelt's kits: Ashkit, a white tom-kit with gray tabby points and blue eyes, Frostkit, a white she-kit with blue eyes, and Stormkit, a dark gray tabby and white tom-kit with yellow eyes)

 **Honeytail** \- golden brown tabby she-cat with light brown eyes (mother to Rowanblaze's kit: Adderkit, a dark brown tabby tom-kit with green eyes, and adoptive mother to Meadowkit, a pale ginger she-kit with gray eyes, and Sagekit, a bengal she-kit with green eyes)

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

 **Dawncloud** \- very old calico tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Robinsong** – very old long-haired tortoiseshell she-cat with bright green eyes

 **Crushedfoot** \- white tom with pale green eyes and mangled front paws


End file.
